Device for prevention of automobile theft

ABSTRACT

A device for preventing the theft of an automobile may comprise a support for attachment to an automobile and a jaw assembly mounted on the support for fastening the acceleration pedal assembly of an automobile in a non-depressed position. The jaw assembly may be attached to a rod member for opening and closing the jaws. The rod may be provided with teeth for engaging a locking device to hold the jaws in the closed or fastening position.

United States Patent Fouces et a1.

[ March 6, 1973 DEVICE FOR PREVENTION OF AUTOMOBILE THEFT Inventors:Manuel Fouces; Juan M. Fouces, both of 2416 Mandell, Houston, Tex. 77006Filed: July 1, 1971 Appl. No.: 158,785

US. Cl ..70/202, 294/106 Int. Cl. ..G05g 5/00 Field of Search ..70/202,203; 294/19 R, 50.8,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1915 Rothenbucher ..70/2023,147,993 9/1964 Broderson et al. ..294/106 X 2,638,372 5/1953 Proetz..299/50.8 2,931,207 4/ 1960 Fisher ..70/202 X Primary Examiner-ErnestR. Purser Assistant ExaminerWilliam F. Pate, lll Attorney-Carlos A.Torres et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A device for preventing the theft of an automobile maycomprise a support for attachment to an automobile and a jaw assemblymounted on the support for fastening the acceleration pedal assembly ofan automobile in a non-depressed position. The jaw assembly may beattached to a rod member for opening and closing the jaws. The rod maybe provided with teeth for engaging a locking device to hold the jaws inthe closed or fastening position.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED R 1 73 I N %N TOR.

A T TOZNEVS DEVICE FOR PREVENTION OF AUTOMOBILE THEFT BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates toanti-theft devices for automobiles. More specifically, it concerns adevice for locking an automobile accelerator in a non-depressed positionto limit the amount of gasoline being delivered to the automobileengine.

2. Description of the Prior Art In recent years there has been a largeincrease in the number of automobile thefts. It is a simple matter forprofessional automobile thieves to enter a locked car and bypass theignition lock. Even amateurs, pranksters, and joy riders have relativelyno trouble in bypassing the standard locking devices of an automobile.

Many anti-theft devices have been developed in efforts to provide simpleand fool proof methods of preventing theft. Examples of some of the morerecent developments in this area may be seen in the following US. Pat.Nos.:

Many of these devices require alteration of the automobile structure.Others are rather bulky and cumbersome. The fact that so many of thesedevices have been developed is evidence of itself that a universallyaccepted method has not yet been found.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an easilyinstalled device for locking the accelerator pedal of an automobile inthe non-depressed position. The device comprises a locking jaw which issuitably mounted for locking around the accelerator pedal linkage orrod. These jaws may be pivoted into place by a pulling rod attached tothe jaws. The rod is provided with teeth which engage a ratchet typelock for holding the rod and jaws in the locked position. By turning thekey in the lock, the rod and jaws, which are spring biased to the openposition, are opened. The device is simple to install, simple tooperate, and virtually theft-proof. Other objects and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a frontal view of an autoanti-theft locking device, according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention, a portion of the housing of which has been broken away;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the device of the invention asit might be attached to an automobile; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken along line 3-3of FIG. 1 showing an alternative means for attaching the device to thesteering column of an automobile.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. I, theanti-theft device of the present invention comprises a support member 10having a lower head portion 11 and an upper, elongated neck portion 12.The head portion 11 is provided with mounting lugs 14 through whichholes 15 may be drilled. Mounted on the head portion 11 by pivots 21 and22 is a pair ofjaws 23, 24. These jaws may be provided with intermeshinggear portions 25 and 26 to assure uniform pivoting of the jaws. Thelower end of the jaws are provided with locking teeth 27, 28.

The upper ends of the jaws are attached by pivots 31, 32 to linkages 33,34. These linkages 33, 34 are in turn pivotally attached to the lowerend of an elongated operating rod member 40. A handle 41 is attached tothe upper end of rod 40. Ratchet-like teeth 42 are machined on the edgesof rod 40 near its upper end, for engagement with a ratchet type lock 45which is attached to support member 10. A cover member 49, most of whichis broken away in FIG. 1, is attached to support 10 and covers most ofrod 40 and jaws 23, 24 to prevent tampering with the device.

Referring now also to FIG. 2, the operation of the anti-theft devicewill be described. The device may be mounted so that the locking head 11straddles the accelerator linkage 50 of accelerator pedal 51 in anautomobile, designated generally at 60. The lugs 14 may be attached tothe floor-board 61 of the automobile by bolts (not shown) placed inholes 15. The upper end of the device may be attached to the dashboard62 by an adjustable bracket 55. This bracket 55 may be fastened to theneck 12 of support 10 at a number of positions by screws or the likeplaced in a suitable pair of holes 18.

Alternatively, a lateral bracket may be attached to the back of thedevice as shown in FIG. 3. Such a bracket may comprise an arm portion 71fastened to support neck 12 and extending laterally therefrom where asemi-circular portion 72 engages the steering column 65. A semi-circularclamp 73 is then attached on the opposite side of the steering column toform a ring thereform, held in place by means such as bolts 74 and 75which may be bradded or welded on the ends to prevent removal. Even ifthe means of upper attachment were removed or cut by a would-be thief,the attachment of lugs 14 to the floorboard of the car would stillprevent its removal or malfunctioning.

To lock the accelerator pedal 51 in the nondepressed position, thehandle 41 is gripped by its operator and pulled upwardly, causing thejaws 23, 24 to pivot until teeth 27, 28 engage each other, surroundingthe accelerator pedal linkage 50, as indicated by the dotted lines inFIG. 1. This position is maintained until a key 48 is inserted in lock45 and turned to release the lock 45. A spring 19 attached at one end torod 40 and at the opposite end to support 10 biases the rod 40 and,consequently, jaws 23, 24 toward the open position. As soon as the lock40 is released, the rod 40 and jaws 23, 24 assume the initial or openposition. Stops 37 and 38 limit their movements. When locked, the deviceprevents the accelerator foot pedal 51 from being depressed and therebyprevents operation of the automobile.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a simple,economical, yet very dependable method of preventing the theft of anautomobile. The device can be easily supplied on new automobiles andlends itself to quick installation on used automobiles. It could beeasily carried and sold by automobile supply stores. Although only twoembodiments of the invention have been described herein, many variationsthereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art. It is thereforeintended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the claimswhich follow.

We claim:

l. A device for preventing the theft of an automobile comprising:support means attached to the floorboard of said automobile near itsaccelerator pedal assembly; fastening means attached to said supportmeans movable from a first position to a second position whereby saidaccelerator pedal assembly is fastened in a nondepressed position;operating means attached to said fastening means for moving saidfastening means from said first position to said second position; andlock means engageable with said operating means to lock said fasteningmeans in said second position; said fastening means comprising a pair ofjaw members which surround a portion of said accelerator pedal assemblyin said second position; said jaw members being attached to said supportmeans by pivot means about which said jaws pivot when moving from saidfirst position to said second position; said operating means coinprisingan elongated rod member attached to said jaw members by second pivotmeans; said rod member being provided with lock engaging meansengageable with said locking means when said jaws are in said secondposition to prevent movement of said operating rod and said jaw members.

2. The device of claim 1 in which biasing means is attached to said rodmember biasing said rod member and said jaw members toward said firstposition.

3. Thedevice of claim 2 in which stop means is attached to said supportmeans to prevent said biasing means from moving said jaw members to aposition farther away from said second position than said firstposition.

4. The device of claim 3 in which said support means is also fastened tothe dashboard assembly of said automobile.

5. The device of claim 3 characterized in that said support means isalso attached to the steering column of said automobile by attachmentmeans.

1. A device for preventing the theft of an automobile comprising:support means attached to the floorboard of said automobile near itsaccelerator pedal assembly; fastening means attached to said supportmeans movable from a first position to a second position whereby saidaccelerator pedal assembly is fastened in a non-depressed position;operating means attached to said fastening means for moving saidfastening means from said first position to said second position; andlock means engageable with said operating means to loCk said fasteningmeans in said second position; said fastening means comprising a pair ofjaw members which surround a portion of said accelerator pedal assemblyin said second position; said jaw members being attached to said supportmeans by pivot means about which said jaws pivot when moving from saidfirst position to said second position; said operating means comprisingan elongated rod member attached to said jaw members by second pivotmeans; said rod member being provided with lock engaging meansengageable with said locking means when said jaws are in said secondposition to prevent movement of said operating rod and said jawmembers.
 1. A device for preventing the theft of an automobilecomprising: support means attached to the floorboard of said automobilenear its accelerator pedal assembly; fastening means attached to saidsupport means movable from a first position to a second position wherebysaid accelerator pedal assembly is fastened in a non-depressed position;operating means attached to said fastening means for moving saidfastening means from said first position to said second position; andlock means engageable with said operating means to loCk said fasteningmeans in said second position; said fastening means comprising a pair ofjaw members which surround a portion of said accelerator pedal assemblyin said second position; said jaw members being attached to said supportmeans by pivot means about which said jaws pivot when moving from saidfirst position to said second position; said operating means comprisingan elongated rod member attached to said jaw members by second pivotmeans; said rod member being provided with lock engaging meansengageable with said locking means when said jaws are in said secondposition to prevent movement of said operating rod and said jaw members.2. The device of claim 1 in which biasing means is attached to said rodmember biasing said rod member and said jaw members toward said firstposition.
 3. The device of claim 2 in which stop means is attached tosaid support means to prevent said biasing means from moving said jawmembers to a position farther away from said second position than saidfirst position.
 4. The device of claim 3 in which said support means isalso fastened to the dashboard assembly of said automobile.